Pressure gauges enjoy very extensive commercial and industrial use and are consequently regarded as high production items. Because of their wide use, gauges are available from a plurality of manufacturers and sold in very price conscious competition. Each manufacturer instinctively strives to reduce product costs by improvements, however marginal, which reduce labor and/or materials that can contribute to cost savings in the end product. A typical pressure gauge includes a metal socket of sorts extending outward of the casing where its stem is usually threaded for mounting into position in a fluid system of which pressure is to be measured. A slot formed in one side of the socket communicates with a passage extending inward through the threaded stem and is adapted to receive the inlet of a Bourdon tube for permanent mounting thereat. Such sockets have typically been formed of bar stock or the like in which the Bourdon tube slot is subsequently machined. Also commonly machined subsequently therein are a pair of drilled and tapped apertures extending inward from the rear face of the socket to enable securing the gauge case to the socket by means of fastener screws. It can be readily appreciated that forming the mentioned socket slot and apertures in this manner has required at least five machining operations, i.e., one for slotting the Bourdon tube slot and two each for drilling and tapping each screw mounting aperture. Needless to say, each of these machining steps involves the use of jigs, fixtures, setup time, machining, etc. as to represent an investment affecting the end cost of the gauge. Yet despite recognition of the problem, a ready solution for eliminating or reducing these machining costs has not heretofore been known.